The Worst #1 Hits of the 00s

The Y! Music Playlist Blog

Robert of the RadishMay 8, 2013

Everyone has an opinion on what the worst decade for music is. The majority of people tend to gravitate to songs that were popular when they came of age, but the fact is, every decade is full of great music, and not so great music. However, you would not get a sense of this when you look at the Billboard Hot 100 charts. A song that reaches #1 does so because it's popular, period. But Honey Boo Boo and McDonald's are also very popular.

Popularity is not necessarily a reflection of quality.

To create one of these playlists I look at all of Billboard's Hot 100 #1 hits for each year in a decade. Then from these #1's, I pick a song from each year that I consider to be the "worst". So it's a combination of fact and my opinion. If a song did not reach #1 it does not qualify for the list, that's the fact part. The other part is my personal opinion. Namely, which of these #1 songs are the worst of the bunch, your choices may vary.

If I had to pick the worst decade for popular music, I would have to say that the 00s takes the cake. This is a decade that has fewer #1 hits than any previous era. Songs can linger for weeks and weeks at the top of the charts, and a majority of the songs that get there are the least common denominator. Music peddlers have learned what sells, and there are only a few formulas that work on today's instant gratification generation. These formulas are used to pump out superficial hits that impact the bottom line.

Does this mean that the music of the 00s is horrible? Nope, not by a long shot. While I will admit that the modern Billboard charts have much to be desired, there is more great music available today than at any other time in history as technology has reduced (or removed) the barrier of entry for artists. You just have to look harder for it.

The Worst #1 Hits of the 00s (you may need to scroll to see the whole list)

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